


And Walk into the Darkness

by lieslwritesthings



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends: Jedi Apprentice Series - Jude Watson & Dave Wolverton, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-18
Updated: 2019-05-18
Packaged: 2020-03-07 11:50:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,341
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18872635
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lieslwritesthings/pseuds/lieslwritesthings
Summary: A look at the discussion in the Council Chambers before Siri Tachi went on her mission undercover to bring down the slaver Krayn's organization.





	And Walk into the Darkness

_ “Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing.” — John Stewart Mill _

 

“Continue to do nothing, we cannot.” There’s a murmur of agreement throughout the Council, and Adi, too, nods her head. For her part, Siri can’t understand why the Senate keeps tying the Council’s hands about this — she  _knows_  why, she just doesn’t understand it. Too many powerful Senators line their pockets with profits from Krayn’s slave trade, or from the spice trade, and Krayn also has a monopoly on the slave labor provided to the spice factories on Nar Shaddaa. Too many governments are deeply layered with power and corruption, and controlled by Krayn one way or another. Both Adi and Siri are in agreement with their suspicion that it’s for this very reason that their last mission out on Kessel had ended disastrously, and accomplishing nothing, though it has, at least, sparked the Council’s discussion of  _doing_  something about the T’surr slave trader’s organization… even though it will have to be without the authorization of the Senate, and that’s not technically how the Order is supposed to operate, so it’s risky because of that alone.

“What we need is definitive proof, evidence, solid information that the Senate cannot dispute,” Ki-Adi-Mundi’s quiet, logical voice speaks up, slipping through Siri’s thoughts. “And enough that were it made public that the Senate saw and did nothing, they would have to fear the outcry, and face the risk of planets whose governments are in league with Krayn revolting against their governments for it.”

“A source on the inside,” Mace Windu muses.

“No one within Krayn’s organization will talk,” Adi says, her tone respectful as ever, and certain in her assertion. Siri knows she’s right; they hadn’t come across anyone in Krayn’s organization on their mission, but they’d heard enough whispers and rumors to know that everyone who’s even heard his name breathed as a threat, are too scared of the T’surr to speak out against him. “We could only get this information by sending someone in to get it.”

“If even the Senate will not move against him, I don’t think we could find some low level criminal to flip and send in for information, and if no one inside already will talk, would that fear not spread to whomever we might send?”

“It would have to be one of us.”

“Send a Jedi undercover into Krayn’s organization?” Ki-Adi’s surprise at Adi’s amendment to the suggestion is evident in his tone, and there’s a dull murmur throughout the Council Chamber. Siri glances up towards her Master, out of the corner of her eye. That sounds dangerous, more like a mission with the certainty of death, than anything that will bring about the result they’re talking about. Ki-Adi seems to vocalize her thoughts, pointing out “Krayn’s hatred of the Jedi is well known — we’re all aware of the order throughout his organization to execute any captured Jedi on sight.”

“I’ll go.” It’s a casual, almost offhanded offer from Eeth Koth.

There’s no crack in Adi’s regal exterior, as she stands tall and straight, posture perfect as ever, in the center of the Council Chamber beside Siri, and no disrespect for her fellow Jedi as she shakes her head at the Zabrak member of the Council. “The child from the streets of Nar Shaadaa who became a Jedi Master who sits on the High Council? Your name and face will be too known. I can accept this mission.”

_What_? Siri looks sharply up at her, unable to mask her momentary surprise. Would her Master really just abandon her like this, leave her here like a Youngling? (Unbidden, her thoughts go to Bant Eerin, who had once been so often left behind by her Master, who had not been there when her Master died; is that to be the end of Siri’s apprenticeship with Adi, too? Left at the Temple like a Youngling while Adi goes to the edges of the galaxy without her? How many times has Adi said that it’s Siri’s intuitiveness to Force warnings that has gotten them out of trouble; how could Adi want to leave her here like this?) Their last mission had been unsuccessful, true, but through no fault of Siri’s; she hadn’t done anything wrong enough to warrant being abandoned at the Temple while her Master goes on a mission that could be certain death — is this some sort of punishment? She can’t help the flood of shock, and shame, and confusion, and the twinge of hurt, as she struggles to keep her face impassive, and regain her politely deferential posture.

“Though I would request that one of you take responsibility for Siri’s training in my absence. She is ready for the Trials, I had intended on recommending her following our mission to Kessel, but I do not want her to take the Trials in my absence.”

Despite her shock, Siri can feel the warmth and pride spreading through her at her Master’s assessment that she’s ready for the Trials.  _Oh_. She’s been hoping that Adi would recommend her for the Trials soon, she’s been working hard for that honor, and she’s certain that she’s ready, but there isn’t much time to dwell on that now. Even if Adi believes she is ready, she doesn’t want to be left here while Adi leaves.

“Do this, you cannot, Master Gallia,” Yoda disagrees with a shake of his head. “As Master Koth: known as a Jedi, you are.”

Mace nods. “I agree. If a Jedi is to be sent undercover, it can’t be a Jedi who will be recognized.”

“A Jedi Shadow, then?” Adi suggests. Ki-Adi and a few others nod, though Mace frowns, seeming to ponder the thought like he can’t decide if he likes the taste.

“The wider the circle, the more dangerous it will be for whoever goes in,” Saesee Tiin points out (and Siri half wonders how long before this it’s been since she’s heard him speak at all, much less a full sentence). Possibly that’s what Mace had been thinking too, because he nods ever so slightly, seemingly somewhere between thoughtfulness and agreement.

“Do you suspect that information could leak from the Order?”

“Not necessarily, but we must approach this with extreme caution, the life of a Jedi will depend on it.” (Two full sentences in one day? Siri knows that her Master considers Saesee to be a friend — despite Adi’s not infrequent complaints that the Iktotchi talks more to his starship than to her — but Siri’s fairly sure that is the first time she’s actually witnessed Saesee engaging in a conversation with Adi, and it’s definitely the first time that Siri herself has ever seen him speak two full sentences in one day, much less one conversation.)

The longer she stands here, the less Siri is sure whether she really ought to be in here right now. It had started as Adi briefing the Council on their mission and the reasons why it had failed (or at least the most likely reasons why it had failed) but now this is much more of a discussion that the Council would normally have behind closed doors, without Padawans, without extra ears listening in. The life a Jedi will be at stake, as well as the lives of thousands of beings already suffering under Krayn’s axe. What right does she, a Padawan, have to be privy to such discussions?

_Maybe you know why._  It’s a whisper, as surely as if someone had whispered it into her ear. She has always felt the Force strongly, but very rarely does she feel as though it’s actually speaking audibly to her. Perhaps now it is, or perhaps she’s about to say something bolder and crazier than anything she’s ever even considered saying before. But maybe there is a reason why she’s in the Council room right now, while this is being discussed; the Force works in mysterious ways, and who is she to deny the will of the Force.

“I can do it.”

For a second there’s silence, and Siri’s unsure whether or not she was correct in speaking without being directly asked to do so by a member of the Council, but she keeps her chin held upright, back as straight as ever, unwilling to cower now that she’s spoken out of turn. It’s spontaneous, unplanned, and yet she will not take it back; and she could not retract the words, even if she’d wanted to. They’ve already been spoken.

“Siri.” Adi’s voice is quiet, but sharp. “You’re still a Padawan.”

“I’m ready for the Trials, Master, you just said so.” It’s as polite a disagreement as she can give, pointing out what Adi herself had said only minutes ago. “This could be my Trials.” It isn’t uncommon for Padawans to be sent on a solo mission as part of their Trials.

“No.” Mace’s response is swift, and he cuts in before Adi even has a chance to say anything. His voice is firm, but not unkind, and he looks seriously over at Siri with steepled fingers. “A mission of this magnitude, with this much risk, there would be no added weight of it serving as the Trials.”

“Then I could take the Trials when I get back.” She can’t quite put her finger on why she suddenly feels so strongly about this, why she’s suddenly  _sure_  that she’s meant for this mission, but she can feel it in the Force, like a little jolt of energy up the back of her neck. “No one knows my face, I wouldn’t be recognized.” The words come out in a rush now, with a certainty that Siri can only assume comes from the Force itself. “Someone  _has_  to do this. I’m the only one in this room not on the Council, and Master Tiin said the circle needs to be as small as possible, how much smaller could it get than only the Council knowing? And if this is to be done without the approval of the Senate, it won’t be as bad for the Order if I’m caught and—”

“Killed,” Adi interrupts. “If you’re caught, you will be killed, Siri. You’ll be executed halfway across the galaxy, before any of us could do anything about it.”

She can hear the worry in her Master’s voice, and she nods. “I understand.” She does, or at least, she thinks she does. She understands as much as she can — she’d heard Ki-Adi’s reminder of the kill on sight order Krayn has within his organization regarding Jedi.

“Do you?” It’s Mace this time, and he leans forward in his chair, studying her with those keen dark eyes of his that seem to bore right to the center of anyone he fixes his gaze on. “Krayn is known for his ruthlessness, for his enjoyment of brutality. Your Master would not be meters away from you to assist you. We would not be able to send you rescue. If you do this, you’ll be on your own, no matter what happens.”

He’s trying to scare her. Or at least he’s trying to see if she’ll scare. But she doesn’t scare this easily. She holds his gaze more steadily than she’d ever thought she’d be able to look Mace Windu in the eye. “I am responsible for my own risks.”

She can sense a flicker of pride from Adi, though her Master still clouds with worry.

“She would need to appear to have left the Order,” Ki-Adi says, and Siri’s a little surprised (but grateful) that he seems to be agreeing that she can do this. “If her true identity is discovered, having left the Order would be her last line of defense.” Mace nods.

“Dangerous, this is, for more than life or death,” Yoda says then, making himself heard for the first time since Siri had spoken up. “Corruption… the dark side… loss of focus. Tempting, these things are, in the easiest times. More tempting, they are, in places such as those. Fear, anger, suffering, death: surrounded by those, you will be.”

In the back of her mind, Siri can hear the words she’d said to Obi-Wan, years ago, on her very first mission as a Jedi Padawan.  _I never lose my focus, Obi-Wan. Or my commitment._ They are as true now as they had been then; being a Jedi is everything to her, she could never betray that. “I never lose my focus, Master Yoda,” she promises. “I will never lose my commitment to the Jedi.”

“Siri is right,” Adi agrees. “She has an unparalleled focus, and her dedication could rival that of any of us in this room.” Siri feels a small swell of pride at her Master’s praise. “Of all the Jedi I know, Siri would never waver in her commitment to her mission.” A few of the other Council members who have worked with the pair of them on missions nod or murmur their agreement, and Siri isn’t sure whether to feel humbled or proud.

Master Yoda studies her closely for several long moments, with his stare that’s even more intimidating than Mace’s, before he nods. “Agree with you, I do. Like that even as a Youngling, she was.”

“So we’ve decided?” Mace asks, “We’re sending a Padawan undercover into Krayn’s organization, to work her way up and gain his trust, and gather information for us?” He looks around the Council chamber, before settling his questioning gaze on Yoda.

Yoda looks to Adi. “Adi Gallia’s Padawan, she is. Adi’s decision, this must be.”

Adi doesn’t answer for a very long moment, and Siri looks at her expectantly, waiting for her Master to decide, then Adi turns to her. “It’s Siri’s decision, not mine.”

That’s not what she would have expected. She understands why Adi says it, but Siri’s never been asked so directly, given so much authority over the choice to accept a mission or not. It’s always been Adi who chooses the mission… until now.

“I can do it. I  _will_.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> It's a bit 'Council of Elrond,' but Siri is one of my favorite characters, and that mission of hers is one of the most fascinating and I always think a lot about how she would have been assigned to it.


End file.
